You've probably heard about 3D printing, where an item is built, layer by layer, by a printer based on a digital model. Conceptually, these so-called printers work in a similar way to the sci-fi transporter in the Star Trek series, materializing things into matter one particle and layer at a time.

We now live in a globalized economy, and many people say it doesn't matter where something is made. However, where products are made should matter to people who are concerned about the environment and the health and well-being of people around the world.

More than two thirds of manufacturers are having difficulty finding skilled employees. We cannot stand by hoping someone else will solve our skills gap crisis. Industry, government and educators need to work together to implement solutions that work.

Six dollars. That’s how much more an American consumer would have to pay for the typical T-shirt made in the U.S. rather than in a potentially unsaf...

Hard as it may be to believe, there are forces in Washington that oppose the revival of the U.S. manufacturing sector. Who are they, and how do we counter their efforts? I think -- roughly -- they fall into five groups.

The reality on the ground is that U.S. manufacturing is today giving a good account of itself, but with sensible incentives, it could do much more.

The fact is there are hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs available right now, but they remain unfilled because employers can't find workers with the right skills. Those employers are America's manufacturers.

As bad as the Great Recession might have been for manufacturing, it's had a fascinating silver lining for the image of manufacturing, which not too long ago felt like a lost cause.

If the U.S. is the second largest producer of cotton in the world, then why can't we buy U.S. grown, U.S. spun cotton fabric? Or any fabric grown and processed here in the U.S.?

How can we change the current misperception that manufacturing is not a career opportunity that women would want to pursue? How can we attract female leadership?

I have never been as excited about the prospects for U.S. manufacturing as I am today. We are entering a new era -- a new golden age of amazing modern manufacturing.

The shift toward electronics and other high-tech products requires different facilities and skill sets than the U.S. employed in its manufacturing heyday. And as a country we need to portray manufacturing as an attractive, stable career.

On Nov. 12, the world took notice when The International Energy Agency released its annual World Energy Outlook, which captured headlines worldwide with its prediction that by 2020 the U.S. would overtake Saudi Arabia as the largest global oil producer.

It's enough to make one wonder: Have we workers really gotten this sloppy? If so, what does that mean for our future?

We must invest in the American workforce and continue to fund research to stay ahead of our competitors -- and our enemies. The only way America will continue to lead in the aerospace industry is if we continue to stay ahead of our global competitors.